Ballots this fall won’t include freeholder candidates, as the Board of Clark County Commissioners voted 2-1 against supporting a home-rule effort.
Approximately six months ago, a group of mostly right-leaning local activists asked commissioners to sign off on a two-year process that would end with voters considering whether to adopt a county charter drafted by freeholders.
o Home rule is a process allowed under a 1948 amendment to the Washington Constitution. It lets counties vote to establish a form of government different from the uniform three-commissioner form provided for in the state constitution. Since 1969, six Washington counties have adopted home-rule charters.
o A freeholder is a county resident elected to serve on the board that drafts a proposed county charter. That charter is then submitted to all the county’s voters for approval or rejection. The county commissioners determine the number of freeholders required. The home rule process can be initiated either by county commissioners or by voter petition.
o Home rule is a process allowed under a 1948 amendment to the Washington Constitution. It lets counties vote to establish a form of government different from the uniform three-commissioner form provided for in the state constitution. Since 1969, six Washington counties have adopted home-rule charters.
o A freeholder is a county resident elected to serve on the board that drafts a proposed county charter. That charter is then submitted to all the county's voters for approval or rejection. The county commissioners determine the number of freeholders required. The home rule process can be initiated either by county commissioners or by voter petition.
o Washington's 33 noncharter counties are required by the state constitution to adopt the three-commissioner form of government. Under this system, the three elected commissioners serve as the legislative body and also perform executive functions. Counties with populations greater than 300,000 can increase the size of their commissions from three to five.
o Washington’s 33 noncharter counties are required by the state constitution to adopt the three-commissioner form of government. Under this system, the three elected commissioners serve as the legislative body and also perform executive functions. Counties with populations greater than 300,000 can increase the size of their commissions from three to five.
The county has gone through the process three times; each effort ended with voters sticking with the status quo.
Commissioners would have had to decide on a number of freeholders (between 15 and 25) and people wanting to serve as freeholders would have had to file by June 11.
Chuck Miller, whose Camas-based nonprofit group Washington Citizens for Responsible Government has spoken out against illegal immigration and same-sex marriage, asked commissioners at last week’s board meeting to allow freeholders on the ballot. He said the charter issue is nonpartisan and having a charter that gives citizens initiative and referendum powers is the best way to let citizens have their voices heard.
On May 12, during the commissioners’ weekly meeting with administrator Bill Barron and other senior officials, Barron said the commissioners needed to make a decision.
Commissioner Tom Mielke, a Republican, was outvoted by Commissioners Steve Stuart, Democrat, and Marc Boldt, Republican.
Commissioners had delayed making the decision while a staff member researched how charters have played out in the six home-rule counties in the state, including how many times initiative and referendum processes were used and whether the charters had increased efficiencies and reduced costs.
Commissioners may elect to approve the process next year and put freeholders on the 2011 ballot.
Complaints, comments
Miller said May 13 it was inexcusable that commissioners dragged their feet on the issue then rejected it.
“Why are some commissioners afraid to allow citizens a voice?” Miller said.
He said he hopes people will call Stuart and Boldt and encourage them to reconsider.
Boldt said that when he was a state legislator he introduced a bill three times that would have given citizens powers of initiative and referendum without going through a charter process. The commissioners pushed a similar bill this past legislative session but it didn’t even make it out of committee.
Freeholders were last elected in 2000. Their charter, which proposed, among other things, expanding the number of commissioners from three to five, failed in 2002 by 187 votes.
